12-20-2010

Hello Family!

I'm so glad to hear all is going well and that you are all having a great Christmas season! I'm so excited for Joe and Megan and how far they are along! Marian should be getting pretty close too, right?! On a mission you lose all sense of time and what happens at home and it is terrible! I promise i read your emails and love every last bit of them:) So, as far as traditions go, here in Ukraine, the New Year celebration is the big holiday of the season and takes precedence over Christmas. The people really drink a lot and that night is supposedly not a very sober night for the people here so the mission heads home a little earlier that day to avoid it. The branches in the area though have invited all of the teenage members in Ukraine over  to our city for a Ball that goes through out the night until 7am. I guess they do service, dance, and all sorts of fun stuff as an alternative to what the rest of the country does. Its really a great idea and they usually have a good turn out, about 300 last time. We of course, are not allowed to go to it but our branch is having a Christmas party this Saturday which i was informed i would be playing at which should be great fun. This last Sunday i had the opportunity to play for sacrament meeting, Sunday school, and then Primary. It was pretty fun to be able to do that. I guess there is a shortage of pianists here or something so they would come and ask me. This evening we have a Christmas fireside in Donetsk with president Fry and then tomorrow we have all the missionaries in the Donetsk area come for a Christmas celebration for the missionaries which will also be fun I'm sure. This is a great time of year for remembering Christ and his birth and what was to come. President talked to the branch yesterday about sharing the gift we have been given and that is to share our testimonies of the restored gospel with others. That is one thing i would encourage you all to do and that i will do too, to find at least one person not of our faith and share your testimony. I know that no matter how simple it may sound, as long as it is sincere, the lord will carry to the hearts of those who are ready. This church is true and the gospel of Jesus Christ is the way to true happiness. I know this with all my heart. I hope that you all have a wonderful Christmas! I miss you and i am grateful for you all and what you have done for me and taught me. I love you and look forward to talking to you soon! have a (soon to be) MERRY CHRISTMAS! :)

With Love,

Elder Ostler

12-13-2010

Well Family,


I am now in a new area that was just opened up a transfer ago in a mining town called Mikevka. We dropped by our apartment on the way to internet and it looks like there may be some 'remont' ing to do.Thats what they call it when people remodel there homes or fix them up every couple years. Its a huge apartment but its definitely old! Right now we have a bath tub to drop buckets of warm water on our heads with. Someone duck taped the windows to try to keep the warm air in. I think this is going to be quite an interesting transfer:) My companion is now Elder Brady who goes home this next October so he's been out for a while. He's a great guy so it should be a good winter working with him. So far they have two pretty good investigators to work with who will probably get baptized soon. We have some serious street contacting and dome tracting to do though to get this area moving. Im excited to see the growth that can come from this area. It is much different than any place i have yet seen here in Ukraine. There are many old, seemingly abandoned factories here with huge pieces of old rusted machinery laying around. I'll have to take some pictures when i get a chance so i can show you all. Well, thanks for all the support. I know that your prayers are helping me and that i need to just keep pushing forward. During some of these hard times, it is nice to know that i have my family and even more importantly, the Lord that i can rely on. I love you and i pray for you too. I hope all is going well that you have a great week ahead of you.\



With love,

Elder Ostler

12-11-2010

Hello Family!


Its been a pretty good week here at the office in Donetsk. My days basically consist of studies and random office tasks like shredding manuals for hours on end. Its pretty exciting!!:) I did have the chance to organize the storage closet for the whole mission which was pretty unorganized and needed it badly. It felt good to do that and help the office out a little bit. Other than that not much has changed. We work here in the office from about 9am-5pm and then have lessons with members and investigators and go on splits with the AP's. It's been interesting to meet some of the people here and see how strong they are. I've also been able to go to some of the church building in the area and there are some very nice ones. It was exciting to see them and see what a strong base we have here in Donetsk. I just found out im going to be playing the music for the primary program tomorrow here in one of the branches which should be fun!:) I hope that goes well. In the office elder's apartment there is an upright piano that a wealth missionary bought for it when he stayed there. Its pretty awesome and is really nice to practice on and sing with. While here in Donetsk I've had the chance to go around with President a little bit and help with shopping and moving furniture. We went to this place called Metro which is the equivalent of Cosco back at home. It was so weird be back in such a huge, nice, clean shopping center! Most of the ones we go too are fairly small with all sorts of interesting fish and eggs and what not. That was fun to go and do. Oh, and i will try and let you know soon what number and when is good for me to call on Christmas once i get to my new area. I really don't know quite yet so i will let you know as soon as i get it figured out. Well, my times up but i love you and i hope you are all having a wonderful Christmas season. Have a great week!

~Elder Ostler